Tashreeq Morris’ impending arrival at Kaizer Chiefs caught many by surprise, but his former coach, Roger De Sa, has explained why the striker is a smart signing for the Soweto giants.
Despite needing more quality players, as stated by coach Nasreddine Nabi, Amakhosi have not been very active in the January transfer window. They have struggled with inconsistency and want to end a nine-year trophy drought.
So far this season, Chiefs have played 14 league games, winning six and suffering five losses while recording three draws. Nabi’s troops have already missed the opportunity to win two domestic trophies, with Orlando Pirates winning the MTN8 and Magesi FC clinching the Carling Knockout Cup.
The Soweto giants’ only realistic chance for silverware this season lies in the Nedbank Cup, as they sit 12 points behind Betway Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have two games in hand.
In an effort to build a more competitive squad under Nabi’s guidance, The Glamour Boys have acquired the services of Morris from SuperSport United in a swap deal that sees Christian Saile join Matsatsantsa.
And as reported by FARPost, Amakhosi have also signed Congolese winger Glody Makabi Lilepo from French third-tier side Valenciennes FC for a transfer fee believed to be around €500,000 [approximately R9.6 million].
Morris and Lilepo are Chiefs’ only third addition of attack-minded players this season, following the signing of Gaston Sirino, who joined as a free agent after leaving Sundowns before the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
ROGER DE SA ON HOW TASHREEQ MORRIS WILL BENEFIT OTHER KAIZER CHIEFS PLAYERS
In an interview with FARPost, Roger De Sa, who coached Morris during his early career, pointed out the striker’s dedication and physical presence.
The former Orlando Pirates coach admitted that Morris has limitations in technical ability but stressed his relentless work ethic and ability to disrupt defences.
De Sa believes Morris can be a valuable asset for Chiefs as they have creative attacking players such as Sirino and Mdududi Shabalala, who can benefit from the attention he draws from opposing defenders.
“I coached him as a youngster at Ajax Cape Town when he was breaking through into the first team,” said De Sa. “He became a regular in the first team at a young age. We played him as an outright number nine, but sometimes, he could play out on the wing because of his speed and aggression, and he was willing to get into the box.
“Look, he is a big, strong player, physically very good, very honest player, he works extremely hard. But technically, I wouldn’t say he is your top player. He is not the type of guy who’s got fantastic abilities, but he has enough, and he makes up for it with his hard work and honesty in the game.
“One thing you can be sure of with Tashreeq Morris is that he will always give 100 per cent; I can put my house on that; he will always give his best in every game and training session.”
DE SA BELIEVES MORRIS WILL MAKE KAIZER CHIEFS MORE DANGEROUS
De Sa reiterated that Morris may not be a prolific goalscorer, but his presence on the field would create opportunities for other Kaizer Chiefs players. He further highlighted Morris’ aerial threat and defensive abilities as elements of the game Chiefs will benefit from.
Morris has been in the SA football scene – PSL for over 10 years with 33 goals and 14 assists to his name in 205 games across all competitions.
“If you are looking for a striker that will give you a lot of depth and threat behind defenders, a lot of muscle and physicality, and you have players around him that will benefit from the attention that he draws, I think he could be the right one,” added De Sa.
“He is not going to give you 15 goals, but he will give you a few. He will create a lot of chaos, and he will probably create a lot of attention, which maybe players around him will benefit from. He is strong and can help defensively. In set pieces, he is always a threat aerially. He is a good option, and I believe he can help any club in the PSL.”
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